Chicken and Pesto Pasta Salad

This Chicken and Pesto Pasta Salad is your new go-to for meal prep, potlucks, and lunches. Growing up, pasta salad meant summer—big bowls passed around at picnics, the scent of basil lingering in the air, and that unmistakable hum of laughter around the table.

Author: It is a Keeper

Meal Type: Peanuts Free

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: MEDIUM

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 8 Servings

Calories: 515 kcal per serving

Ingredients

1 lb - rotini pasta
3 cups - chicken
1 pt - Grape tomatoes
4 ounces - Mozzarella pearls
2 cups - Baby arugula & spinach
½ cup - red onion
1 cup - cucumber
6 ⅔ ounces - Pesto
⅓ cup - parmesan cheese
½ cup - Sun dried tomatoes
¼ cup - Pine nuts
¼ tsp - Salt

Instructions

Cook your pasta in salted water according to package directions to al dente. When the pasta is finished, drain it and rinse with cold water to cool the pasta.
While the pasta is cooking you can toast your pine nuts. To toast them, place them in a small dry skillet in an even layer. Heat them over medium low heat, stirring occasionally for about 3-5 minutes or until they are a nice golden brown. Be careful they burn easily. Set the toasted pine nuts aside to cool
Place the cooked and drained pasta in a large bowl add in the chicken, then add in the cut tomatoes, chopped cucumber and diced onions. Stir gently until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Roughly chop or tear the spinach and arugula, add it in and stir to distribute.
Next add in the pesto and the sun dried tomatoes. Stir until everything is evenly coated with the pesto.
Now add in the shredded parmesan cheese, mozzarella pearls, and toasted pine nuts. Stir to evenly distribute.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Garnish with additional shredded parmesan and toasted pine nuts if desired.

Nutrition